More graduates gaining employment with banks

Investment banks are hiring more graduates this year in comparison with last year, according to new research.

The survey conducted by Financial News suggests that 13.5 per cent more graduates were employed in 2007 than in 2006.

ING is the only bank that has decreased its graduate intake and Nomura (52 per cent more) and Goldman Sachs (21 per cent) are among the institutes that have increased their graduate employment the most.

Commenting on the findings, Lucy Gregory at Morgan Stanley told the website: "We plan to take on more graduates this year than last, although we are finalising the numbers.

She added: "Graduate hiring is a great source of talent and we hire from across Europe to get the best cross-section of candidates."

Figures compiled by the Higher Education Statistics Agency suggest the graduates with a first class or an upper second class degree have an unemployment rate of just six per cent.